MAKING WAVES Mid North Coast News
Trial Bay crews save lives under darkness Night operations offshore and on river call on teams’ skill and experience.
A
long-haul operation offshore and another in the muddy shallows of the Macleay River have demanded all of MR Trial Bay crews’ skill at operating under darkness. The crew of Trial Bay 30 headed 25nm off the coastline on July 28 on a seven-hour mission to rescue a lone sailor on board a 10m yacht who activated his EPIRB when his engine overheated and seized in heavy seas. With the operation coordinated by the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the crew - skipper Peter Holyfield, Geoff Greenwood and Ian Turner - arrived on scene in fading light, towing the yachtie and his dog back to sheltered waters in the bay just before 10pm. Jennifer Edser, Donna Polkinghorne and Phil Hartley provided communications support from the unit’s radio base. AMSA thanked “the volunteers of Marine Rescue NSW and our partners in NSW Water Police, Westpac Rescue helicopters and Cobham Aviation Services for their
Seven hours at sea ... a crew member from Trial Bay 30 boards a yacht to secure a towline after the small vessel’s skipper activated his EPIRB 25nm offshore. Photo: AMSA.
support in this rescue”. Three weeks later, a boater stranded in the dark on a sandbank among oyster leases on the Macleay River called for help. TB 30, with skipper Jon Cragg, Peter Holyfield and Geoff Greenwood on board, headed out to locate the man, who was reported to have become distressed and was in need
of medication. Phil Hartley was again on duty in the radio base. Shallow water prevented TB 30 from reaching the dinghy so the skipper jumped overboard into the river to wade through the oyster leases to the boat with a towline. The crew then returned the man to the unit’s pontoon, where he was met by his wife.
Mid North Coast Regional Operations Manager Randall Gawne thanked the volunteers for their hard work to rescue the two men. “Night operations always involve a higher degree of difficulty and risk and our members have again demonstrated their skill and capability to save these two lives on the water,” he said.
Buzz of achievement on Lord Howe Island
T
he MR Lord Howe Island unit has been abuzz with members training for their mission of saving lives on the waters around their idyllic home. MRNSW Regional Training Manager Stuart Massey recently travelled to the island to conduct an intensive training boost. This resulted in Ellis Whitfield and Caitlin Woods achieving their Coxswain rating, Brendyn Hancock and Heath Roberts their Leading Crew and Tracey Mills, Ben Gallen, Vivien Rink, Stephen Takacs and Tim Cruikshanks rated as Crew. Another five completed first aid training, eight advanced resuscitation and 12 undertook drills. Several members have expressed interest in radio training.
“There was a buzz around the island when people found out about the training and ratings that were being achieved,” Stuart said. “I feel we made some real progress, particularly with the new recruits. I attended the base every day so members could come in and go through training when they had the time available. “When the weather allowed, we got out on the boat but this was ruled out by frequent wind and storms. We ventured to sea a few times but when we couldn’t we did laps of the lagoon to get skills logs done.” Headquarters training personnel plan to return to the island ahead of the boating season to continue helping members build their skills.
A scenic backdrop for members of MR Lord Howe Island taking part in sea survival training. SOUNDINGS | MARINE RESCUE NSW
21
